What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).

Tyngsborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Tyngsborough
People
Population	25,612Highest	12,550Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	39.4±2.9Lowest about the MA average
	Reading and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.6%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Tyngsborough and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	51.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA	$129,348±$18kLowest 24% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA	$552,500±$34kLowest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA	$1,986±$404Lowest 13% above MA
	Reading and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 56% above MA	$7,426Lowest 24% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	72.2%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest MA: 10%	6.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA	1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	18.6%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#174 of 282 in MA
School district	Reading	Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical · Tyngsborough
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.